Examining the Differential Impact of Human Crowding Versus Spatial Crowding on Visitor Satisfaction at a Festival. Issue 3 (23rd March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kim, Dohee; Lee, Choong-Ki; Sirgy, M. Joseph
• Is Part Of: Journal of travel & tourism marketing. Volume 33:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 293
• Page End: 312
• Publication Date: 2016-03-23
• Subjects: Human crowding -- spatial crowding -- emotions -- visitor satisfaction -- festival; Tourism -- Periodicals; 338.47910688
• DOI: 10.1080/10548408.2015.1024914
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1054-8408

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Human crowding at a festival can affect visitor satisfaction differently to spatial crowding. Festival visitors perceive human crowding as a situation in which the festival is full of people. Spatial crowding, on the other hand, is perceived as restricting movement. We hypothesized that human crowding affects visitor satisfaction in a positive way (by increasing positive affect and decreasing negative affect), whereas spatial crowding affects visitor satisfaction in a negative way (by decreasing positive affect and increasing negative affect). We tested these hypotheses using data collected through an on-site survey at the 2012 Seoul Lantern Festival in South Korea: 423 visitors attending the festival completed the survey. The survey results supported the hypotheses. Managerial implications of the findings are also discussed.